Empire
Season 3, Episode 5 – One Before Another
Original Air Date: November 9, 2016
Grade: B
It’s been a much needed long hiatus from the Lyon family. I have little understanding as to why it took so long for the show to return or as to why it was necessary other than to keep me from having to witness the ongoing drama that ensues but nevertheless. The family is on the run from Xzibit from “Pimp My Ride”/Shyne due to his incessant issue with having to retaliate when things don’t go his own way.
As nice as Enzo and Cookie look together, I honestly am so unconcerned with where it goes and how it’ll end up failing – because you know it will. I’m just glad that for once Cookie isn’t running after Lucious and seems to be a lot happier and focused on her business. Meanwhile, the relationship between Nessa and Andre or situationship rather, is about to have everyone up in arms. Only one that might be thrilled is Lucious, just based on Nessa being Black and Shyne’s sister.
“Why is everyone bringing Bella into this?,” Hakeem asks Lucious at one point. Y’know, I keep wondering the same thing. Everyone is holding Hakeem’s baby he can’t even claim over his head to get him to mature and follow the path they want him to. Andre may be the matyr but Hakeem is the tragic hero, destined for us to root for him but never actually make it. So instead of actually being useful, he’s putting on his big boy britches to satisfy Lucious and pretend to be like him. Well, you know how that’s going to work out folks!
Anika ends up resolving the entire Shyne issue, probably much to the relief of us all including Lucious and the Lyon family. Somehow the Cookie and Enzo relationship also gets on shaky ground because she feels as though he reached out to her parole officer about not being as productive and timely as she could’ve been. Enzo leaves him feeling disappointment and Cookie is wrong as hell and in for the surprise of her life when she finds that she probably got set up by Lucious or somebody involved with him.
The show ends up with the brothers fighting due to Nessa being involved with Andre, which Hakeem can’t handle. Rejection seems to be such a hard thing for these boys to accept. Hakeem also puts his hands on Jamal, which is probably the last thing he needs. Clearly, they should just throw gasoline on this mansion and start over. Meanwhile, Tarik is still spying on Lucious gathering intel so that he can finally end him once and for all. Thank goodness. At least, somebody’s doing us a favor and getting rid of this pseudo-paternal nightmare.
